Guest Dangerous A Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 Judge Christopher Droney has indicated that unless WWE gives him a good argument between now and 1/25, that he will rule in favor of Brock Lesnar, giving him a summary judgement. That would enable Lesnar to work anywhere he wanted and for anyone he wanted immediately. WWE has filed another injunction attempt to prevent Lesnar from working the 2/19 New Japan show at Sumo Hall. They were at first turned down in their attempt to get him stopped from working the Tokyo Dome, but were given a hearing, which they then pulled out of. Legalities may be the story of the year with this and the Dawn Marie situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 If Jerry McDevitt doesn't stop losing cases, I'd almost expect Vince to snap and fire him, forgetting that he's a fierce lawyer and has to do a lot of cleanup for an irresponsible company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Famous Mortimer Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Ah, the sweet smell of someone who actually hires a lawyer and takes them on. Pretty good success rate those people have too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dorian Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Wonder if Lesnar even had to hire a lawyer. I bet NJPW hired the lawyer for him. I also wonder if Lesnar will now counter sue in getting the missing sum of money that he had still owning to him. I mean, if the judge rules in his favor, he could technically go after the WWE and get the money that was owed to him for them being wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Ah, the sweet smell of someone who actually hires a lawyer and takes them on. Pretty good success rate those people have too. Absolutely. As sek has mentioned before, if more people actually fought the WWF then you would probably see a change in policy. Pretty ironic that the 2 highest profile losses for the WWE come from today's odd couple... Brock and Sable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teke184 Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Sable actually won her case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 I am almost positive she did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 OK, I looked it up and what I found was that she settled for a smaller amount but was released from her contract and retained the name Sable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teke184 Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Don't forget Jesse Ventura... He's the first guy to successfully sue Vince, which was over video residuals, and the settlement involved is why Jesse is cut out of commentary in some matches. The gist of it is that he gets paid residuals for anything with his voice on it that was released on video before the case was resolved (early 90s). Anything considered to be a "new" release, such as the TV jobber matches from 1986 featuring Mick Foley, would have required Vince to pay Jesse residuals if they'd left his voice in the commentary for the match. That's pretty good that he's STILL got Vince dealing with the repercussions of that settlement 10-15 years after the fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Vince's biggest fear is the people he's been using as his playthings and tossing aside when he no longer has use for them finally taking him to court. It's not an overstatement to say that legal challenges could shake the foundations of WWE. The most obvious example being the whole "independent contractor" business that allows WWE to not pay any benefits, unemployment, or worker's comp. A true independent contractor is free to work for as many people as he can handle. My friend the building contractor sometimes works for 2 or 3 different builders when the work gets slow. A WWE employee can only work for WWE unless they approve the booking, and on the rare occaison they do it's only for backwater indies and never a major company (like say, NJPW). WWE is trying to have its cake and eat it too by calling their workers independent contractors and then trying to limit where they can ply their trade. The Lesnar case is proving this. WWE is either going to have to start calling their workers what they are, employees, and pay what that entails (namely unemployment and worker's comp) or stick to calling them independent contractors and allow them to work for any company they can get a booking with. Either way would be a monumental change in the way WWE operates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Well, thi would require former wrestlers to actually have the nads to pursue legal action and give up their "dream" of ever working for the Fed again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 It might not even require that. The Lesnar case might do it, and it would be WWE who took the matter to court to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dangerous A Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Well, the Judge has pushed his ruling date to 1/27 (this friday) for the Lesnar situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dorian Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Hm... Wonder what happens. I hope Lesnar wins and shit happens. That would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dangerous A Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 I'm not sure. I would think that WWE has something in the works to follow up right behind this judgment should it not go in WWE's favor to keep Lesnar from being a free agent. Still, this ruling could become very big should the judge rule in favor of Lesnar and if WWE can't follow up with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Even if Lesnar does win what kind of an impact is this going to have? I doubt anyone in the States outside of WWE could pay him what he'll want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 I could see TNA signing him. I could see Vince overhauling the legal team after this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dangerous A Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 Even if Lesnar does win what kind of an impact is this going to have? I doubt anyone in the States outside of WWE could pay him what he'll want. It could effect the "independent contractor" deal that WWE has for it's wrestlers because the Lesnar case would set a precedent. As for it effecting Lesnar, who knows? Money is part of the issue, but Lesnar may take less money for TNA's schedule, which was one of Lesnar's biggest hangups the first time around. Thing is, Antonio Inoki has Lesnar under contract so even if TNA wanted him, they'd have to negotiate through Inoki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 It's funny that Spike wants TNA to sign such a big name that even Lesnar doesn't fit their criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dangerous A Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Latest from Observer site... Judge Christopher Droney granted a WWE motion to delay the scheduled hearing tomorrow for the company to oppose a summary judgment that would result in Brock Lesnar's non-compete being thrown out. The new date for the hearing is 2/8. Both the WWE side and Lesnar's side each have 20 minutes before Droney, who will then decide whether to throw out WWE's claim and allow Lesnar to wrestle world wide, or keep the case going forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dangerous A Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Here is some more from the AP via PWTorch... The Associate Press has a background article on the Brock Lesnar-WWE lawsuit today, titled Former wrestling star sues WWE. "He didn't have two nickels to rub together before he met the WWE," said Jerry McDevitt, WWE's attorney. "He's basically asking a judge to rewrite his settlement agreement. We don't think we've been dealt fairly by this man from day one." Also in the story, McDevitt called Lesnar a "prima donna" who wanted his own private plane. In reality, Lesnar had a private plane before he left for the NFL, and he paid for it himself other than a credit for what WWE was saving on not having to pay his commercial flights. A sports litigation attorney who has represented the NBA players' union said regarding the non-compete clause, "It sounds to me it's probably overly broad. The pattern is to enforce them less." The difference with the Lesnar situation is that he didn't sign a non-compete as he entered into his contract (when WWE had all the leverage), but when he was trying to get out of a valid long-term contract by choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dangerous A Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Latest bit about Lesnar from Observer... They've also reported Simon Inoki, the president of New Japan, was at WWE headquarters today. Don't know why, but we should have something later. I'd guess it has to do with the Brock Lesnar case. Judge Christopher Droney has yet to rule after both sides gave their arguments yesterday. Both sides were in lengthy settlement meetings before making their arguments, but couldn't come to an agreement This leads me to believe WWE has a feeling it won't win the argument and is now trying to settle with Lesnar's people. If Lesnar settles, I hope he includes a provision stating WWE cannot mention him during their shows for the rest of time,thereby avoiding "The Self Destruction of Brock Lesnar" DVD. Just something I would do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 He shouldn't settle on anything that doesn't allow for him to wrestle in the States either. He might think being exclusive to Japan right now would be good but a few months down the road it might not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teke184 Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 Latest bit about Lesnar from Observer... They've also reported Simon Inoki, the president of New Japan, was at WWE headquarters today. Don't know why, but we should have something later. I'd guess it has to do with the Brock Lesnar case. Judge Christopher Droney has yet to rule after both sides gave their arguments yesterday. Both sides were in lengthy settlement meetings before making their arguments, but couldn't come to an agreement This leads me to believe WWE has a feeling it won't win the argument and is now trying to settle with Lesnar's people. If Lesnar settles, I hope he includes a provision stating WWE cannot mention him during their shows for the rest of time,thereby avoiding "The Self Destruction of Brock Lesnar" DVD. Just something I would do. I think it would take some Academy Award quality editing to make Brock look as bad as Warrior... At least on the promo front. God, that disc should come with a warning that states "Prolonged exposure to Ultimate Warrior's promos may cause insanity. Anyone thinking that any of the promos contain a coherent thought should head to the nearest emergency room immediately"... </Just watched Self Destruction last night> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 I think the WWE could easily do a burial disc on Brock. All they have to do is get a bunch of old timers to say how ungrateful he was for all the company gave him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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